Wednesday, July 7, 2010

An Angel Policy on one shoulder...

This new Angel Policy still does not authorize you to produce and sell individual, unassembled cuts using Cricut products (i.e., mass producing individually-cut letters or shapes to re-sell). It does, however, authorize you to sell up to 10,000 completed projects annually (i.e., cards, scrapbook pages, finished cakes), using cuts made with Cricut products. This revision offers the most flexibility possible to those who wish to create and sell projects made using any of the Provo Craft products, while also protecting the creative ideas and images of the independent artists with whom we work to produce art for our cartridges.

Before you begin to bask in the glow of the new policy, it is worth noting that on the official Angel Policy page, these changes have not been added. There haven't been any changes since my post in September.

The only change is a new line about the Cricut Cake, "Provo Craft content used in cutting edible material in connection with the CRICUT CAKE™ machine is exempt from the Angel Policy."

Again, I think the changes are great, but they haven't been updated on the official Angel Policy site (which is where most people who are searching for the information would look...), and unless they completely replace the original policy, there are still some changes needed (especially the online selling issue).

And while I believe the Cricut Cake may be the straw that breaks me to buy a personal cutting machine... I cannot stress enough to Provo Craft and other manufacturers that I think it is their responsibility to the consumer that they make this information accessible prior to purchase and easily found on their site.

I'll say it again...

Look, all companies have the right to state how their products can and cannot be used. I do take offense that companies who are creating tools and supplies for crafters are not making these copyright restrictions and "Angel Policies" a part of their own packaging. Let the buyer know prior to their purchase what you do and do not expect of them. Many crafters do not have a clue that such policies exist. Realistically, most people assume, hey, this is an item created for the specific purpose of being used for subsequent creations. Most don't stop and think that the manufacturer of the item would even dream of attempting to limit the creative process or the ability for the crafter to then make a profit on the item.